Determination of critical success factors in electronic test equipment developed using the agile project management approach through classical and fuzzy dematel methods

R&D projects are predominantly managed using traditional project management approaches. However, with the recent prominence of agile project management methodologies, the impact of agile approaches on the management of R&D projects has become a topic of interest. Specifically, the defense sector's desire for rapid project deliverables aligns closely with the principles of agile project management. Despite this, the application of agile project management in the defense sector remains limited. While this approach is generally preferred for software projects, research into its positive effects on hardware development activities is ongoing. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the benefits of agile project management for the successful completion of projects focused on the development of electronic test equipment. The purpose of this study is to determine the critical success factors influenced by the agile project management approach in the development of electronic test equipment within a test and measurement company serving the defense sector. The success of electronic test equipment depends on various factors, which makes it possible to address the problem using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. To identify both the significance levels of project success factors and the interactions between these factors, Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (F-DEMATEL) methods were employed.